Headgear



March 2 1926.

E. CAIRNS HEADGEAR Filed Feb. 26. 1925 uvvpzvrok W 1AM mm Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES EDWARD CAIRNS, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

nmnem Application filed February 28, 1825. Serial No- 11,736.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD CAIRNS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Headgears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in head gear being especially adapted for firemens helmets, although being applicable to other types of hats and has for its particular objects the provision of an insert device which is not only cheap and durable, but which is adapted to securely retain a hat on the head of the wearer and prevent accidental displacement thereof while also serving to cause the hat to conform closely to the shape of the head of the wearer and substantially reduce the number of sizes which a dealer is required to carry in stock in order to enable many different sizes of heads to be properly fitted. Such device is also extremely comfortable to wear and can be readily applied to an ordinary hat without requiring any alteration in the shape or construction thereof.

My invention is fully described in the following description and drawings forming a part thereof in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a firemans helmet equipped with one of my improved inserts;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the aforesaid insert isolated;

Fig. 3 is a vertical fragmentary section of a portion of the helmet and of the insert and its cushioning adapter, showing the same when removed from the head of the wearer; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position assumed by the insert and its marginal cushioning member with respect to the helmet when the latter is applied to the head of the wearer; Fig. 5 is a similar view shon ing the position assumed by the insert and its marginal cushioning member with respect to the helmet when it is attempted to shake the same off or remove the same from the head of a wearer; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective fragmentary view of a portion of said cushioning member.

Referring to the drawings and the construction shown therein, reference numeral 1 designates the body member and 2 the brim member of a firemans helmet. At the point of intersection of said body member and said brim member is formed an annular groove 3 into which latter is adapted to be sprung the expansible reinforced lower rim of an insert member hereinafter described.

The aforesaid insert member comprises an elastic hoop or ring member 4, formed preferably of a continuous piece of spring mm which is secured within a covering 5 of leather or the like and to which latter is secured a sectional lining composed of sections of felt 6, 6' and which latter are shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the head of the wearer but which are joined at the top in such a manner as to leave an opening of insuflicient size to permit the skull of the wearer to pass completely therethrough. However, no particul r claim is made herein to the insert of the above construction as the same forms no part of the invention herein described.

The essence of the herein described invention comprises the association with the aforesaid insert of an elastic cushioning medium 7 preferabl comprising a narrow strip of sponge ru her which is securely stitched at its lower edge to the outside of said insert immediately above the covering 5 which surrounds the elastic wire ring 4 in such a manner that the lower edge or margin a of said cushioning medium is slightly stretched so as to form a rin of greater perimeter than the ring forme by its upper edge or margin b. As a consequence, the said cushionin means will normally assume a position 0 about 45 to with respect to the horizontal, for example, as shown in Figure 2. When however, the said hat provided with the aforesaid improved insert is applied to the head of the wearer, the cushioning medium or adapter will be forced into the position shown in Fig. 4, but as soon as it is attempted to remove the hat or the same tends to move off the head of the wearer due to the weight thereof, the said elastic cushioning medium assumes the position shown in Fig. 5 and tightly wedges the insert or lining on to the head of the wearer, thus effectually preventing accidental displacement or easy removal of the hat, except when such removal is desired, in which latter case by exerting a sufficient pressure the hat can be readily removed. In practice I prefer a strip of sponge or cellular rubber of the quality commonly used in rubber bath sponges, rubber applicators for electric massage machines and the like and such strips should not exceed ,41" in thickness, preferabl beness.

The aforesaid adapter is exceedin ly soft and readily conforms to the irregufirr contour of the different heads to WhlCl'l it may be desired to appl the same. Furthermore, said adapter (foes not shrink nor otherwise change in size or shape when drenched with water and should the felt insert become wet it can be dried out without deleteriously affecting the adapter member.

Various modifications of form, size and in the minor details of construction within the S00 of the appended claims may be made wit out de arting from the spirit of my invention or ispensmg with the various 9. vantages peculiar to the invention herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by United States Letters Patent is:

1. The combination comprising a hat body of relatively inelastic material, an insert lining therefor adapted to engage the skull of a wearer, an annular elastic cushioning member of sponge rubber secured to the insert lining adjacent the lower margin thereof, said cushioning member having normall a smaller outer periphery when unstretc ed than the inner periphery of the hat body to which it is secured so that the lower margin of said cushioning member is stretched with respect to its upper margin and said cushioning member being so osi tioned that it, normally assumes an ob ique angle with respect to the sides of the hat prior to its being placed on the head of the wearer.

2. The combination comprising, a hat body of relatively inelastic material, an insert lining therefor adapted to engage the skull of a wearer and an elas ic cushioning adapter member of sponge rubber secured to said insert member adjacent its lower mar- "in and interposed between said insert mem her and said hat body, said adapter member normally lying at an oblique angle to the sides of the hat.

3. The sub-combination comprising an insert linin for a hat having an annular cushioning a apter member of porous sponge rubber secured to its outer face ad3acent the lower margin thereof, said cushioning member having normally a smaller outer periphery when unstretched than the inner )eriphery of the hat body to which it is to be secured so that the lower edge of said adapted will be stretched relatively to its upper edge.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York this 25th day of February 1925.

EDWARD CAIRNS.

not exceed ing about V mess.

The aforesaid adapter is exceedin ly soft and readily conforms to the irregufar contour of the difi'erent heads to which it may be desired to appl the same. Furthermore, said adapter dbes notshrink nor otherwise change in size or shape when drenched with water and should the felt insert become wet it can be dried out without deleteri ously affecting the adapter member.

Various modifications of form, size and in the minor details of construction within the seo of the appended claims may be made wit out do arting from the spirit of m invention or ispensmg with the various ad vantages peculiar to the invention herein set forth.

Having thus described I claim and desire to States Letters Patent is:

1. The combination comprising a hat body of relatively inelastic material, an insert lining therefor adapted to engage the skull of a wearer, an annular elastic cushioning member of sponge rubber secured to the insert lining adjacent the lower margin thereof, said cushioning member having normall a smaller outer periphery when unstretc ed than the inner periphery of the hat body to which it is secured so that the lower in thickness, preferabl bemy invention, what obtain by United in height and in t ick-- margin of said cushioning member is stretched with respect to 'its upper margin and said cushioning member being so positioned that it normally assumes an oblique angle with respect to the sides of the hat prior to its being placed on the head of the wearer.

2. The combination comprising a hat body of relatively inelastic material, an insert lining therefor adapted to engage the skull of a wearer and an elas ic cushioning adapter member of sponge rubber secured to said insert member adjacent its lower mar- 'in and interposed between said insert mom- )er and said hat body, said adapter 'member normally lying at an oblique angle to the sides of the hat.

3. The sub-combination comprising an insert linin for a hat having an annular cushioning a apter member of porous sponge rubber secured to its outer face ad acent the lower margin thereof, said cushioning member having normally a smaller outer periphery when unstretched than the inner )eriphery of the hat body to which it is to be secured so that the lower edge of said adapted will be stretched upper edge.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York this 25th day of Februy EDWARD CAIRNS.

relatively to its Certificate of Correction.

upon the a. ment in ma conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofliee. igned and sealed this 27th day of April, A. D. 1926.

M. J. MOORE, Acting Uommz'esioner of Patents.

anted March 2, 1926, rsey, for an improvethe printed specification re uiring correcadapted rea adapter; and rection therein that the same Certificate of Correction.

it is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,575251, "rant/ed March 2, 1926, upon the a plication of Edward Cairns. nf Montclair, New .lersey, for an improvement in eadgears, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correctlon as follows: Page 2, line 59, claim 3, for the word adapted read adapter; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same ma conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

i igned and sealed this 27th day of April, A. D. 1926.

[BELL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Cmnmissiomr of Patents. 

